A journey through the world of martial arts

Chapter 63 Settlement
As soon as the pungent smell wafted out, everyone present hurriedly held their breath. The thing that the Five Poison Ancestor had taken out must be a highly poisonous substance, so it was best to be careful.

"What did our ancestor take out? It looks quite extraordinary."

"If it can cure the poison of 'Drunken Life, Dreamlike Death,' then that thing must also be a rare and potent poison. Using poison to counteract poison has always been the Five Poisons Ancestor's forte. Let's just sit back and wait."

Upon smelling the pungent odor, Du Xin's expression became somewhat unnatural. He detected the scent of several herbs, which were precisely the opposite of the medicinal properties of "Drunken Life, Dreamlike Death."

The Five Poisons Ancestor held the gourd's mouth to the medicine man's nostrils. With each breath, wisps of pale yellow smoke were inhaled. As the smoke continued to be inhaled, the medicine man's body trembled, beads of sweat dripped from his forehead, his face grew paler and paler, and he mumbled in his sleep.

"What a potent poison! It took effect so quickly!" Tang Sen was a master of poisons, but even he wasn't entirely confident of victory against "Drunken Life, Dreamlike Death." Yet, the Five Poisons Ancestor found a solution in such a short time. It was truly remarkable. No wonder he was known as the number one poison master.

After a moment, the man with the medicine finally calmed down. Du Xin gripped the handrail tightly, then relaxed.

"Our ancestor is indeed formidable. What is the name of this antidote?"

Seeing how skillfully the Five Poisons Ancestor dealt with "Drunken Life, Dreamlike Death," Du Xin guessed that he must have made preparations beforehand, and that he was just doing all the work for someone else today.

"Master Du, this item is called 'Yin Yang Life and Death Judgment,' and it was something I refined a few years ago," the Five Poisons Ancestor said slowly, looking at Du Xin.

When "Drunken Life, Dreamy Death" was first used, nearly ninety percent of the poison masters were helpless. However, the Five Poisons Ancestor refused to believe this and found people who had died from poisoning. He performed autopsies, investigated the pharmacology, and collected information. After several years, he finally managed to refine the antidote.

"Ancestor, your mastery of poison is profound. I, Du, am willing to admit defeat and acknowledge you as the number one master of poison." Although Du Xin was extremely unwilling, in front of everyone, if he refused to admit defeat, he would not only lose face but also lose face.

Du Xin's statement was met with enthusiastic agreement from the others. Previously, the Five Poisons Ancestor was only nominally the number one expert in the field of poison, but now that he has gained the recognition of many poison masters, his position is secure.

"This Five Poisons Ancestor is indeed formidable," Xiaoyuer exclaimed. Putting aside his character, in terms of the path of poison alone, the only person in the entire martial arts world who could rival him was probably Uncle Chang.

"Brother Hua, Brother Yu, the Ten Thousand Poisons Conference is about to end. Keep a close eye on Jiang Biehe and don't let him escape again," Jiang Yuyan instructed the two.

"rest assured"

The Five Poisons Ancestor was enjoying the moment of his life, listening to the constant compliments. Just then, a beautiful young woman walked in, looked at the Five Poisons Ancestor surrounded by people, and sneered.

"Five Poison Ancestor, I want to fight you in a battle of poisons!" The voice was clear and powerful, making it impossible for anyone to ignore.

The moment the voice rang out, the scene fell silent. No one dared to speak. This was the Ten Thousand Poisons Gathering, and no one would be standing here without some skill. Although the girl looked young, the medicinal fragrance emanating from her was quite strong. Moreover, she dared to challenge the Five Poisons Ancestor, so she must have some special skills.

Everyone's eyes were fixed on the Five Poisons Ancestor, some chuckling, some indifferent, some mocking, and so on. If the Five Poisons Ancestor were to be defeated by this girl, he would lose all face and his prestige would be greatly diminished.

"Little girl, you say you want to fight me with poison, then first introduce yourself and let me see if you are qualified to compete with me."

The Five Poisons Ancestor did not want to fight her in a poison contest, as it was not in keeping with his status. If he won, there would be nothing to say, but if he lost, he would lose face.

"My name is Su Ying, a resident doctor who treats all kinds of patients. How about it, am I qualified?" Su Ying looked around and said loudly.

"What? So she's the doctor who doesn't practice medicine, and she's actually a woman?"

This "do-or-don't-treat" clinic is a relatively new phenomenon in recent years. While it may not be as well-known as established clinics, it has taken a different approach by specializing in treating difficult and complex illnesses. Gradually, the clinic has gained a reputation, attracting many high-ranking officials and dignitaries who seek its treatment, further enhancing its fame.

"So it's Doctor Su. Very well, I'll have a match with you. I wonder how you intend to compete, Doctor Su?" The Five Poisons Ancestor's expression turned serious. He dared not underestimate her. It was no simple feat for a woman to make a name for herself in medicine.

"Five Poison Ancestor, let's each poison the other. Whoever can undo the poison first will be the winner. How about it? Are you willing to bet?"

"Okay, we'll do it your way."

Everyone immediately became interested, and Du Xin was all smiles. He immediately ordered his servants to bring tea and pastries, and everyone ate while watching.

The Five Poisons Ancestor and Su Ying exchanged a glance, and then they passed each other without making a sound.

"The poison of this rainbow-colored miasma is enough for a girl like you to endure."

To establish his prestige, the Five Poisons Ancestor used a deadly move: the "Rainbow Seven-Colored Miasma," which he collected from the Ancient Miasma Forest and cultivated with various poisonous flowers. When the poison takes effect, seven-colored marks will appear on the face.

Moreover, his lifespan is only seven hours. The seven colors will rotate, and when it turns purple, his body will rot all over and eventually turn into a puddle of thick liquid, leaving no trace.

Seeing the red spots starting to appear on Su Ying's face, the Five Poisons Ancestor smiled smugly.

Su Ying sensed something amiss, but paid it no mind, saying, "Five Poisons Ancestor, do you still remember the Lower Forest Village of Wind Howling Valley three years ago?"

While others were unaware of the reason, the Five Poisons Ancestor's expression changed drastically, but he quickly regained his composure.

"What is Doctor Su saying? I don't understand. What is this Xia Lin Village?"

"Back then, in order to refine the Five Poison Gu, you slaughtered 332 people in Xia Lin Village. You can't deny this blood debt," Su Ying said coldly, causing everyone present to change color.

This Five Poisons Ancestor used so many lives to refine the Five Poisons Gu, he was truly utterly depraved. Although we also cultivate the Way of Poison, we are not as unscrupulous as him. If the imperial court finds out, they will definitely investigate. No matter how powerful the Five Poisons Ancestor is, can he stand up to the imperial court?

"Little girl, don't talk nonsense. I, your ancestor, have never been to any Xia Lin Village. Don't spread rumors here." The Five Poisons Ancestor felt a chill in his heart. It was good that this matter hadn't been exposed. If it had been spread, he would have become the target of everyone's criticism.

Not only would the imperial court not let him go, but even his own comrades would not tolerate him and would surely turn around and kill him with all their might.

"Dr. Su, is there any evidence for this?" Tang Sen, the head of the Tang Clan who had been observing from the sidelines, could no longer sit still and asked in a deep voice.

“Senior Tang, I naturally have evidence,” Su Ying, her face ashen, said, taking out a black wooden box.

"If you don't want people to know, then don't do it in the first place. Five Poison Ancestor, look what this is," Su Ying said, opening the wooden box to the crowd. Inside lay a black spider.

"Black Spider Gu!" Tang Sen said sharply, his eyes fixed on the Five Poisons Ancestor.

This Black Spider Gu is one of the Five Poison Gu. Under heaven, only the Five Poison Ancestor can master it. The evidence is conclusive, so how can he deny it? Even Du Xin looked over.

When the Five Poisons Ancestor saw Su Ying take out the Black Spider Gu, his face turned very ugly. Ever since he had mastered the Five Poisons Gu, he had entrusted it to his five disciples for careful cultivation. This Black Spider Gu belonged to his second disciple, Death Impermanence.

Now that the Black Spider Gu has fallen into Su Ying's hands, the fate of that fiend is self-evident.

"Haha, little girl, so what if the ancestor admits it? That's right, I practiced the Five Poison Gu, and I killed the people. What can you do to me? Do you think they will help you?" The Five Poison Ancestor's eyes flashed, and he scanned the surroundings. Those whose eyes fell on him all lowered their heads.

Tang Sen and Du Xin exchanged a glance and shook their heads. This Five Poisons Ancestor was indeed arrogant, but they had to admit that they were being a bit hesitant to act rashly. If they failed to capture him, they would suffer his retaliation. Tang Sen and Du Xin were both people with families and could not afford the consequences.

"You're truly shameless, invincible, the Five Poisons Ancestor! You're unworthy of being called a master of the Poison Sect. Don't think you're so great just because you have the 'Rainbow Seven-Colored Miasma.' Look at the lines on your right hand!"

Su Ying's face was turning green. Upon hearing this, the Five Poisons Ancestor was startled and immediately looked at his right hand. He saw a black spot on his palm that was expanding. He rolled up his sleeve and saw a dark line running from his wrist upwards, around his shoulder, and straight towards his heart.

"What kind of poison is this?" The Five Poisons Ancestor examined the symptoms and found that no poison could match it.

"Heart-corroding and soul-severing," Su Ying said as she took out silver needles to seal her vital acupoints. She then swallowed a white pill, and her originally dark green complexion began to fade, then rapidly receded at a visible speed, finally returning to normal.

"You can actually cure the 'Rainbow Seven-Colored Miasma'? You're no ordinary person. Who exactly are you?" The Five Poisons Ancestor was truly terrified at this moment. First, there was a deadly poison he didn't know about, and then she solved his masterpiece. This girl must be someone extraordinary.

"You don't need to know my origins; you'd better just obediently pay for the lives of the dead in Xia Lin Village."

Watching the Five Poison Ancestor swallow various pills, Su Ying said, "No matter how many antidote pills you take, it will be useless and will only hasten your death."

Seeing that everyone around him had retreated far away, the Five Poisons Ancestor sneered, "Heh, I've roamed the martial world for decades, never expecting to be defeated by a girl today. What a cruel twist of fate! But you underestimate me if you think I'll admit defeat so easily." To everyone's astonishment, a wisp of gray smoke shot from the Five Poisons Ancestor's hand, instantly enveloping the hall.

"Oh no! This is the Five Poison Ancestor's Hundred Holes and Thousand Sores Mist! Everyone be careful!" Du Xin shouted, but some people were still caught off guard. When their skin came into contact with the smoke, bloody holes appeared and foul-smelling blood flowed out. For a moment, the hall was filled with wails.

Jiang Biehe cursed inwardly. He had come here to see the grand event, but unexpectedly, such a change had occurred. He might as well rest in the backyard. Jiang Biehe circulated his energy, pushed aside the fog of countless holes, and rushed to the backyard.

Before they even left the hall, a sword light shot down, catching Jiang Biehe off guard and causing him to fall to the ground. Before anyone could react, three figures carried Jiang Biehe away.

No sooner had one problem been solved than another arose. Du Xin roared angrily and chased after the three of them.

Looking at the corpse of the Five Poisons Ancestor before her, Su Ying breathed a sigh of relief and poured out the corpse-dissolving water. The once-great master of poison had met his end with no trace of his body.

Now that the matter was resolved, Su Ying looked at the messy hall and lost all interest in staying. She immediately left the hall and headed down the mountain.

Inside the cave, Jiang Biehe woke up. Looking at the three people in front of him, he thought to himself that something was wrong, but he still smiled and said, "Miss Jiang, Young Hero Hua, and Young Hero Yu, I wonder what brings you three to me after all this trouble?"

"Jiang Biehe, no, I should call you Jiang Qin. Do you still remember Jiang Feng?" Xiaoyuer looked at Jiang Biehe's disguise with great disgust.

"Who is Jiang Qin? I have never heard of this name before. Young Master Yu must be mistaken," Jiang Biehe thought to himself, his mind in turmoil. How could his true identity have been revealed?

"Stop pretending. I'm too lazy to argue with you. Jiang Feng is my father, and Yan Nantian is my master. You, the Jiang family's page, betrayed your masters and have survived to this day. Heaven truly has no eyes. Today, I will avenge my father and kill you."

Little Fish drew his sword, startling Jiang Biehe so much that he turned pale.

"You say you're Jiang Feng's son, haha, haha," Jiang Biehe was stunned for a moment upon hearing this, then burst into maniacal laughter.

Jiang Yuyan responded with indifference and sarcasm, Hua Wuque frowned, and Xiaoyuer remained cold.

“Jiang Feng, I also come from a scholarly family. Why should I be his page? I want to rewrite my own destiny. What’s wrong with that? As the saying goes, ‘Every man for himself.’ He’s just a friend of Yan Nantian. What’s so great about that?”

Jiang Biehe was now in a state of mental confusion, venting his emotions wildly, "I asked him to teach me martial arts, but he refused. He clearly looks down on me, afraid that I would steal his thunder. He deserves to die, he deserves to die..."

"You've finished speaking, then pay for my father's life." As soon as he finished speaking, a cold light flashed, and Jiang Biehe collapsed, clutching his neck. His vision became increasingly blurry, and he seemed to see Jiang Feng's ghost. His eyes widened suddenly before the light faded.

Jiang Yuyan watched her adoptive father die, but felt no sorrow whatsoever.

"That's all there is to it," Jiang Yuyan thought to herself.

Looking back on his life, he had never truly lived for himself. The first half of his life revolved around Jiang Feng, and the second half he became Liu Xi's lackey. It's rare to see a person end up like this.

"Brother Hua, I'm really sorry," Xiao Yu'er said, feeling a little embarrassed after killing Jiang Biehe and only then remembering Hua Wuque.

"It's alright. Master and the others just need Jiang Biehe's life. Anyway, he's already dead, so the outcome is good, isn't it?"

It's impossible for Hua Wuque not to have any regrets about not being able to kill Jiang Biehe with his own hands. He will definitely have to be punished after returning to the palace.

"Brother Hua, Brother Yu, I'll bury him first. After I've finished dealing with this, we'll go back to the manor," Jiang Yuyan said, looking at Jiang Biehe's body, intending to leave him with a complete corpse.

Although death ends all troubles, Little Fish is too lazy to care and won't help.

"I'm going out for some fresh air. We'll leave after I've finished dealing with this," he said, before leaving the cave and going to a hillside.

Hua Wuque wanted to help, but Jiang Yuyan refused.

"This is the last thing I'll do for you. We'll never see each other again," Jiang Yuyan said softly, looking at the simple grave mound before her, before turning and heading down the mountain.

"Brother Flower, Brother Fish, let's go."

With a shout of "Giddy up!", the three rode off at full speed.

Murong Manor, Secret Chamber

Gu Xu slowly withdrew his true energy into his dantian. "Now that two of the five elements are missing, my profound skills are not yet perfect. It seems that I still need to find a top-notch metal or earth element martial art."

Murong Shu copied many martial arts manuals from the imperial palace. Although they were all precious, they were either incompatible with the attributes or too low in grade to be integrated into the Pure Yang Profound Art. Therefore, she was unable to successfully cultivate the fourth line for a long time.

"It seems I'll have to think of another way." Gu Xu calculated the time. There was still more than a year until the alignment of the seven stars, and nearly two years until the duel between Yu Yan, Hua Wuque, and Xiao Yu'er. Once these two matters were resolved, he might be able to leave this world.

移花宫

Yaoyue looked at the note in her hand, and after reading it, she handed it to Lianxing, who was somewhat surprised after reading it.

“Sister, since Wuque has already met Master Guxu’s disciple, we don’t need to interfere. In the end, we’ll still have to settle things anyway. But what about Yan Nantian’s disciple…”

"Besides Daoist Gu Xu, only the two of us know the inside story. Actually, it doesn't matter whether we tell him or not. However, I am determined to obtain that 'Transplanting Flowers and Grafting Trees' technique. Wuque can only win, not lose. Sister, you must not tell Wuque about this, lest you distract him."

"I understand, sister," Lianxing replied, then changed the subject.

"What about Liu Xi?"

"It's laughable that a eunuch dares to dream of dominating the martial world. His so-called 'Absorbing Power Technique' is utterly useless. When the seven stars align, let Wuque deal with him. Defeat him at his most glorious moment, and he'll never forget the feeling."

Eastern Depot, Secret Chamber

Liu Xi then absorbed the energy of two more of his subordinates, temporarily alleviating the hidden injuries within his body.

During his time at the Murong family, Liu Xi was extremely uneasy. He had originally planned to give the Murong family a hard time, but he ended up losing face and was still feeling lingering fear.

"That person who called himself Gu Xu told me not to mess with Murong Shu. He must have realized my intentions. Oh well, it's best to avoid provoking such a master. Anyway, I have backup options with the two Yin people."

"Master, a letter from Lord Zhou," the messenger delivered the letter to Liu Xi, who nodded with satisfaction after reading it.

“Zhou Yan is quite capable. Tie Ruyun, I can’t do anything about you hiding in the Murong family. But do you think I can’t do anything without you? Once I master the skill of absorbing things from a distance, you won’t be able to escape.”

"Send a message to Zhou Yan, ordering him to bring Yuan Yang Zhenren, Meng Zhongliu, and Zhao Qianhe to the Eastern Depot immediately and imprison them in the Jiazi Secret Chamber." Liu Xi had a plan in mind. Now that the Five Yangs were missing two, he had a target for the remaining two.

"Bring Song Tao here."

A short while later, Song Tao arrived at the secret room. "Master, is there anything you need me to do?"

"Arrange for men to capture Jiang Lin, the Beggars' Sect leader, and Wu Yan, the 'Meteor Sword.' Both are experts. Take Tan Tian Shuo Di and Shan Zuo and Shan You with you. Make sure you capture them and don't let the news leak out. Go."

"Yes, Your Excellency," Song Tao accepted the order and immediately went downstairs.

"Master, Du Xin sent a message by carrier pigeon saying that Jiang Biehe is dead, and the identity of the person who did it is unknown. In addition, the Five Poisons Ancestor died at the hands of a woman named Su Ying." The confidant handed the message to Liu Xi, who was furious after reading it.

Jiang Biehe and the Five Poisons Ancestor were both important pawns to him, and losing either of them would be painful. Now that they had both been lost, it was no wonder he was furious.

"Go ask Hongye Zhai. I need to know who did it. Also, find that Su Ying for me. Since she killed the Five Poisons Ancestor, let her complete the Five Poisons Ancestor's mission," Liu Xi shouted. His confidant hurriedly agreed and quickly left the secret room.

(End of this chapter)